fist /fɪst/ BrE AmE noun [countable]
[ Language: Old English ; Origin: fyst ]
1 . the hand when it is tightly closed, so that the fingers are curled in towards the ↑ palm . People close their hand in a fist when they are angry or are going to hit someone:
She held the money tightly in her fist.
Malcolm clenched his fist (=held his fist very tightly closed) angrily.
Dooley stood up and shook his fist in her face.
Varney slammed his fist down onto the table so hard the dishes jumped.
⇨ ↑ ham-fisted , ↑ tight-fisted , ⇨ hand over fist at ↑ hand 1 (35)
2 . make a good/bad fist of something British English informal to make a successful or unsuccessful attempt to do something